


The Lonely Dancer: A Dancetale Adventure

by Charlie_is_Not_Cat



Series: Fire from the Surface [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Dancetale AU, F/F, F/M, Flamenco is nickname, Flamenco's Family bad news!, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Other, Reader Is Not Chara, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader gives Flamenco a face, Reader has several names, Reset accident, Runaway
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2018-08-29 13:53:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8492287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charlie_is_Not_Cat/pseuds/Charlie_is_Not_Cat
Summary: Chara and Frisk had made a deal early on. Because of that deal, everything had gone well. Frisk and the monsters had made it to the surface. Toriel adopted Frisk, Asgore was forgiven by his wife (eventually), and Sans could finally laze about without a care in the world... until one late-night mistake changes everything. 
Chara now has partial control over Frisk's soul and body. It's up to someone new, someone whose past is clouded even to themselves, to ensure the monsters' freedom... and Frisk's.
It's the 40th Reset, and it looks like the game is changing.





	1. The Fall... With a Twist

Their head felt heavy as they cracked their eyes open. Something didn't feel right. Instead of feeling Mom's heavy quilt on their back, there was a cool breeze tickling their skin. 

They shot straight up, shock and realization as they took in their all too familiar surroundings. How? When... that dream. That stupid nightmare! Frisk curled into a ball, fighting tears. The last run had been a Pacifist one. During the Neutral run before that, they'd made a promise. With a shudder, Frisk realized that this time, they would be forced to deliver. 

There was a groan from beside them, as something moved. A new wave of fear rolled over Frisk as they looked beside them. A girl, who looked to be early on in her teens, sat up beside Frisk, clutching her head. Frisk quickly scooted across the room, only stopping when the wall hit their back, eyes wide in shock. This hadn't happened before. Was it good? Bad? 

"Um, excuse me?" Frisk was snapped out of their panic as the girl addressed them. She wore only a pink nightshirt and matching pants. They didn't look very warm. 

She'd woken up drowsily, her head felt like it was being crushed by some unseen vice. As she sat up, she was vaguely aware of the other person as they backed away from her. Looking up, the girl took in her surroundings. She was surrounded by yellow flowers and craggy rock. Turning to the person, she tried gathering her thoughts into words. 

"Um, excuse me?" Her voice sounded alien to her as she spoke. The person, a child she realized, just looked at her. Their expression was unreadable. 

"Do you know where we are?" They didn't respond, instead narrowing their eyes. 'Like you don't know,' the look seemed to say. The girl shivered as a cool breeze rustled her pajamas. The child's expression softened. Standing up, they walked over to the girl, extending their hand. Smiling, she took it. Once she too was standing, the child did something with their hands. When the girl just stared, the child did it again, extending the index and middle fingers of both hands and tapping the right knuckles on their left.

"Are you trying to ask me something?" The child sighed, nodding with exasperation. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're trying to say." The girl admitted, sheepishly. The child shrugged, looking a bit disappointed. Spotting a stick in the flowers at her feet, the girl handed it to the child.

"You could write in the dirt with this." She said with a smile. Smiling back, the child knelt on the ground, carefully forming the words, *What's your name? 

The girl's smile fell, replaced by a frown. "I-I don't know."

The child frowned in response to that, but smiled as they wrote, *Well, I'm Frisk. It's okay if you don't remember your name. Down here, you can be whoever you want! 

The girl frowned. What was that supposed to mean? 

 

The girl dove to avoid another attack by the crazy flower while Frisk spun gracefully away from the deadly "friendliness" pellets. It was almost like they'd gone through this before. The flower, Flowey he'd said his name was, seemed to think so too.

"You know what's going on here, don't you? You just wanted to see me suffer." Suddenly, there was no escape as the two humans were surrounded by pellets. The girl didn't like this turn of events one bit. 

"Why don't you go back to the 'Friendly hello hi' thing instead of being such a jerk!" She shouted at Flowey. A cruel glee filled his eyes as he said, "DIE."

The girl hugged Frisk, certain they both were about to die, when the pellets disappeared. Not even a moment later, Flowey disappeared as well, knocked aside by a strange flame. 

A tall, white-furred goat woman appeared, scowling slightly in the direction of Flowey's disappearance.

"What a terrible creature, torturing such poor, innocent youths." Turning towards the humans, her expression softened. "Ah, do not be afraid, my children. I am Toriel, caretaker of the RUINS. I pass through this place everyday to see if anyone has fallen down."

Whatever else Toriel said was lost on the girl as she fainted.


	2. The Nightmare: Her Name is Flamingo?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Language unsuitable for children ahead. If you feel uncomfortable about strong language, blood, or threatened bodily harm, proceed with caution. Not a lot of it this chapter, but this may appear in future chapters.

_"Be seated." A cold voice echoed around the space the girl found herself in. It looked like an office, a large desk directly in front of her with a towering window. Everything was gray scale, and the girl felt something cold settle on her soul. A rather tall, intimidating woman stood before her, her back military straight._

I shouldn't be here, _the girl thought in a panic._ I don't know why, but I can't be alone with this woman.

_But, try as she might, the girl couldn't seem to move herself away, as though she were glued to the chair she sat in. The woman turned, locking eyes with the girl. The woman's eyes were like frigid black pools._

_"You're such a disappointment. I gave you and your brothers everything you could've asked for, but you don't obey me, refuse to behave, and now you've gotten child services **and** the police investigating us." The woman delivered this speech with a tight, cruel smile. _

_"And now, to top it all off, you ran off again and forgot who you are. Like that will save you. Liam will find you. You'll end up like Caleb." With a snap of her fingers, a boy was shoved into the room._

No... _The girl stood, her body not obeying her mind's protests as she ran towards the boy on the floor, her voice crying out, "Caleb!"_

Not again... anything but this again.

_She didn't get far when the sound of a gun's safety being flipped off made her freeze in her tracks. Turning, her gaze fell on a familiar, yet unfamiliar face. He was aiming the gun at her chest, his eyes cold, calculating...murderous._

_"She told you to never betray us again, bitch. How many times will it take for you to get it?" Feeling something warm and sticky on her hands, the girl looked down. They were red._

_"How many families are you gonna kill? Tobias isn't here to save you anymore you know." The boy smirked. "That's his blood also on your hands. You'll always belong to us."_

_Suddenly, the gun was pressed against her temple, her soul felt like it was cracking._

_"Next time you run, run fast and far, because I'll be right behind you, Sister."_

 

_\- - -_

 

The girl woke with a start as something soft and fuzzy brushed her face. Her gaze was met with the warm, if not worried, gaze of Toriel.

"Ah, I apologize, My Child, I did not mean to wake you." Her voice was so soft and full of warmth, the nightmare was forgotten completely as the girl smiled up at her.

"I was bringing you some pie your sibling and I had made together, when I noticed you crying in your sleep." The girl hugged Toriel.

"Thank you, Miss Toriel. I don't remember the dream, but I'd rather not anyway."

Toriel hugged her back, and, as she gently rocked back and forth, said in a soothing voice, "Hush, my child, it's all right. It wasn't anything more than a scary dream, it can't hurt you."

That was when the girl realized she was still crying.

 

\- - -

 

_There another crack mars the soul, bright against the dull color. It wasn't a dream._

 

_\- - -_

 

Frisk was anxious.

So far, everything had turned out completely different from previous timelines, and they were certain it was because of the girl. After she'd fainted, Toriel had taken them both straight to her house, not letting Frisk out of her sight. Chara hadn't tried to make Frisk go out and enact genocide, in fact they were disturbingly quiet. It scared Frisk more than when they'd first heard "Where are the knives?" come from their mouth during the first genocide run.

They'd already talked to Toriel, and, even though they'd still had to dance against her, they'd managed to convince her that they would be fine when they left, but they also promised that they would stay until the girl was ready to leave with them. In ordinary timelines, Toriel wouldn't have listened and would've asked them to not come back. This whole situation was worrisome, and that was without thinking about what would happen to them when they met up with _him_ again.

Thankfully, though, the girl would have to learn her dance before they could leave the Ruins. What a convenient way to stall for time.

 

\- - -

 

Toriel began teaching the girl as soon as she felt physically up to it, so a day after she'd woken up from fainting. She'd stumbled the first few times trying to follow the goat woman as she led them through a waltz, not to mention stepping on Toriel's toes repeatedly. Frisk was close to making "Left Feet" her new name, when about a week later, the girl's dance became a little more graceful. As Frisk watched, they couldn't help but note the familiarity of the dance. Frisk's soul stuttered a bit as they realized how similar it was to a certain cinnamon roll they knew.

'Look again, Dummy.' Frisk almost dropped their plate of cinnamon-butterscotch pie. Chara had been so quiet, Frisk had almost thought they weren't in this strange timeline. Too big of a hope, it would seem.

'Her dance is different.' And they were right. The girl's movements, though very vibrant and fiery, were very free form, like a fifty song mashup. Frisk smiled, despite Chara's resurfacing. This gave them the perfect name for the girl.

 

\- - -

 

That night at dinner, Frisk got everyone's attention by gently patting the table. Getting out a handheld chalkboard Toriel'd given them, they wrote,

 

*I've been thinking about it a lot, and I think I've got the perfect name for you!

"Really!" The girl almost yelled in her excitement. She would finally have a name other than, "My Child" or "You" or "The Human", although she didn't mind the first one, but it was more of a term of endearment than a name.

 

*It's based off of a dance very similar to yours.

Erasing their board, Frisk hastily scribbled the name and showed it to Toriel and the girl.

 

*Flamingo!

 

"..."

"...?"

 

Suppressing a startled giggle, Toriel gently said, "I think you meant to write, "Flamenco", correct?"

Frisk blushed in embarrassment when their spelling error was pointed out, but they nodded.

The gi- Flamenco grinned widely as she pulled Frisk into an embrace.

"Thank you so much, Frisk. I love it."

 

 


	3. Simple is Beautiful, Especially in Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flamenco gets a haircut.

Frisk lay awake, their heart thumping loudly as anxiety took over. They’d broken their promise. Sans would never be able to forgive them. And what would happen once they got to Snowdin? What was Chara planning?

Looking over at Flamenco who’d insisted she sleep on the floor, Frisk realized that in this timeline anything could happen. No holds barred.

 

“A haircut?” Flamenco’s hands flew to hold her long hair protectively, wringing it nervously as Toriel held up a pair of scissors.

“Yes, my child. It won’t be much, but having hair as long as yours can get in the way of both you and your opponent’s dancing. Although, it is your choice.”

 

In all honesty, Flamenco did want to cut her hair. But something about a shorter cut made her hesitate. It was Frisk who convinced her a few hours later when the older human found them and Toriel rummaging through a trunk in the living room. They’d given a hum of triumph as they held up several different animated movies.

 

Seeing Flamenco, they dashed over to her and showed them to her. She didn’t recognize any of them, though she probably should have, judging by Frisk’s eager grin.

 

“These look great, Frisk,” Flamenco smiled down at them, confused. “But why am I looking at these?”

 

Setting down the movies, they wrote in response,

 

*There are a lot of really pretty hairstyles in these movies! I thought we could watch them so you could have an idea about what you want to do with your hair if you don’t want to cut it! <3

 

Flamenco pressed her lips together, skeptical about that. ‘But,’ she reasoned, ‘if my hair is the obstacle here, I don’t think I’ll be able to leave the Ruins with Frisk at this rate.’

 

Toriel had made Flamenco promise back at the beginning not to leave until everything was right in her training. It was up to her to protect the younger human as they travelled through the underground. Finally, Flamenco agreed to watch the movies.

 

\--------Several Movies Later-----

 

“Oh? I’d thought for sure you’d choose Ariel’s hairstyle,” Toriel said, referring to the second movie in the Disney...did it classify as a franchise or classic?

 

Flamenco nodded shyly, still unsure if this was something she should go through with, but she really wanted to do it. Something about that character resonated with her very core, and the song she’d sang…

 

Chuckling, Toriel sat her down at the table, scissors in hand.

 

A few moments later, Toriel held up a mirror for her. Flamenco’s jaw dropped. Toriel had done a great job with the simple style, right down to the gold headband. Frisk smiled.

 

*You look like Thumbelina!

 

“That was the point, Frisk.” She said quietly. She didn’t remember how she’d thought of herself in a mirror before, but in this instance, she felt she was beautiful.

 

\--------The next day-----

 

Today, they were leaving the Ruins. Flamenco sat at the table, fingers tugging at her pajama bottoms. Would she ever see this place again? Would Toriel be okay with that psycho flower roaming around?

 

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Toriel sneaking through the room, a jumble of red fabric in her arms. Frisk was right behind her, although they were sneaking as though music from "Pink Panther" was playing. Beaming, they raced past the goat mother, tackling Flamenco in a hug, startling her.

 

"Wah! Frisk, what-?"

 

"Suprise!" Toriel sang, holding in front of her a red dress. It had short, puffy sleeves, and a short, ruffled skirt with gold trim to match her headband. There were also a pair of black leggings, in case she had to dance something that involved more spontaneous or sporadic movement.

 

For a few moments Flamenco didn't say anything, just stared at the dress as though it was something foreign. Both Frisk's and Toriel's smiles began to wane, when, tearfully, Flamenco hugged them both. For some reason, she felt like she never been more loved.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to reference it. "The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina" was my favorite movie growing up, and when I was first planning this story, I drew Flamenco with hair like Thumbelina's. Also referenced, "Ashita no Nadja" for the dress design. Hope you enjoyed.


	4. Confusing Circumstances Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's this? What's this?
> 
> More secrets unearthed, none are revealed.
> 
> Song Ref. Alavero Soler: Sofia

When was the last time they’d Saved? Frisk struggled to remember as they walked through the corridor leading outside, Flamenco using every step to twirl in her new outfit. Despite their situation, Frisk giggled at the older human’s antics. Even the way she danced was almost like she’d never experienced just being a kid before. 

_ If only she could remember who she was, I could ask her.  _ Frisk thought to themselves. 

**_But would she_ ** **want** **_to tell you?_ **

Frisk frowned. Chara, as corrupt as they were in this timeline, had a very valid point. Not all people led happy lives like they eventually would. That is, if Chara doesn’t kill everyone in this timeline. 

“Howdy!”

Flamenco froze, causing Frisk to run into her. Not this again. 

In front of them was Flowey, like all the other times, smiling at them patronizingly. Frisk expected him to go into his little spiel about how it was “Kill or be Killed”, but he didn’t. Instead, he addressed Flamenco.

“Hope ya enjoy the Underground more than what’s waiting for ya back up top.” 

 

Flowey disappeared into the ground, leaving Flamenco thoroughly creeped out and more than confused. What did Flowey mean by that? Sounded ominous.

Glancing at Frisk, she noticed how serious and… pale they’d become. She set her lips in a tight line. She didn’t understand why, but for some reason she really didn’t like to see the child so... unlike themselves. 

After a moment of thought, Flamenco giggled loudly, causing Frisk to look up at her. Without warning, she scooped up the child, spinning around wildly, her giggles becoming full on cackling. Frisk laughed as Flamenco made the rest of the journey to the door like this.

 

**_Heh, heh…_ **

 

Flamenco flopped out into the snow, cursing the world as it spun out from beneath her.

“That… was a bad idea. Fun… but a bad idea.” 

Frisk smirked, still trapped in Flamenco’s grasp. They tried to get up, only to find themselves pinned to the older human’s chest. Flamenco laughed as they began to struggle.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she sang playfully. “Cause you’re my wittle teddy bear.” She laughed as her captive groaned.

“Okay, okay. Let’s get moving.” Allowing Frisk to get up off her, Flamenco sat up, only to fall back down again.

“Ugh! Headrush!” Frisk giggled, only to stop when they noticed her eyes seem to glaze over.

“Hey… what is this stuff? It’s cold, and wet like ice, but it’s soft.” Her voice quieted to a murmur. “How can ice be soft?”

*It’s snow. 

Frisk wrote.

Flamenco sat up, successful this time, to read the message.

“Snow?”

*Have you never seen snow? 

…

“I guess I haven’t.”

 

They continued on, the air somewhat tense and sullen, despite Flamenco’s efforts to keep it jovial between them. And to be honest, their surroundings weren’t that much of a help in her opinion.

Sueño cuando era pequeño

Sin preocupación en el corazón

Her voice was shaky as she began, her voice cutting through the stillness and startling Frisk. She startled herself in fact. What language was this? What song?

Sigo viendo aquel momento

Se desvaneció, desapareció

She held out her hand in a quiet offer, which Frisk gladly took. As they began to dance, they failed to notice the figure following them.

Ya no te creo, ya no te deseo, eh oh

Solo te creo, solo te deseo, eh oh

Her voice grew louder as they danced down the path, gleeful as her steps carried her along. Frisk noted that her style was more stable now, heavily set in a latin movement

**_She’s self taught._ ** Chara said it like it was a fact.  **_She couldn’t decide what dance she wanted to learn, to she tried to teach herself as many as she could get away with._ **

_ How do you know that?  _ Frisk thought at them. First Flowey, and now Chara was acting like they knew the older human better than they did.

**_…_ **

**_It’s none of your business._ **

“hey there, pal.” A familiar chill went up the child’s spine. They hadn’t realized they’d stopped in front of the “gate”, or that someone had been walking up behind them. Oh no. What would they tell him? He must be furious with them.

“don’cha know how ta greet a new friend? turn around, and shake my ha-” 

_ PPPPFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!! _

“Heeheeheehahahaha!!!” Flamenco laughed giddily, her hand clasped around Sans’s as the skeleton stood there, baffled. Frisk took it that he’d never had a human jump the gun on one of his lines. Except maybe them. Flamenco was still giggling when the skeleton decided he should continue.

“huh… that was... unexpected.” 

“S-sorry,” Flamenco said between giggles. “I saw the whoopee cushion and I couldn’t resist.”

Poking her arm, Frisk wrote something in the snow,

*Wait, you saw it?

“Yup.”

They frowned, crossing their arms pointedly.

*You know what a whoopee cushion is, but not snow?

Flamenco just grinned, unknowingly still holding the skeleton’s hand in her own. Said skeleton was trying to keep his laid back facade, but the prolonged contact was making him uncomfortable.

“uhm…” he started, before Flamenco noticed there were still introductions to be had.

“Oh! Sorry. I’m Flamenco and this munchkin is Frisk. What’s your name?”

“...sans.” 


	5. Confusing Circumstances Pt 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may be shorter, I don't know. But hey, progress!

“So Sans, what times are there to be had this part of the Underground?” Flamenco was nudging the snow into little mounds with her feet as she and the monster watch Frisk solve another puzzle. She hadn’t been exposed to them back in the Ruins so she didn’t feel confident about solving them herself.

“well, there’s snow to play in. you fell down just in time for gift giving week. we got grillby’s, which is good grub.” Sans shrugs. 

“depends on what you want to do.”

Flamenco hummed, amazed. It sounded… freeing to her.

“Any places where you can dance? For fun I mean.” 

Sans glanced at her, his expression unreadable. 

“pretty much anywhere.”

“REALLY?!” Flamenco was bouncing on the balls of her feet, excitement bubbling up in her chest.

“So you all can just dance anywhere and everywhere? That’s amazing! And in public? AMAZINGER!” 

_ Shut up! _

Flamenco flinched. Who… said that?

She turned, but there was no one behind her, or either side of her for that matter. A well of fear rose in her chest, until she saw Frisk running towards her, big smile on their face. She ran to meet them, faltering slightly when she heard the voice again.

_ You weren’t born to prance around like an idiot! Keep doing that in public, and your brother might not come home. _

Sans noticed her stumble, and raised a brow.

There was a tug on Flamenco’s dress, pulling her focus from the intrusive voice. Frisk was looking up at her, concerned. 

*Is something wrong?

“...I don’t think so.” 

_ You sound like an idiot. Be assertive, for God’s sake- _

“SHUT UP!” Flamenco whirled around, shouting at the tree cover. That had to be where the voice was hiding.

“YOU DON’T KNOW ME! I HAVE NO BROTHER! AND YOU CAN’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!”

There was no one to answer her, but she could have sworn she saw something silver glint from inside the treeline.

It scared her.

_ We will always find you. _

 

Frisk could only stare in shock. Sans was also stunned at the sudden outburst.

_ Chara, do you know what just happened? _

**_…_ **

_ Chara? _

**_That’s bad. Really bad._ **

_ What is?  _

**_We have to talk to the Comedian._ **

_ Chara, what’s going on, with Flamenco? You’re starting to worry me. _

**_…_ **

**_…._ **

**_I may have doomed us to a Neutral Route._ **

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first actual Undertale/Dancetale fanfic. I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter should be out sometime this week or next week, depending on my homework.


End file.
